22 December 2008

Monday, December 22, 2008

Unbelievably it’s been ten day since arriving in India and the experience has exceeded my expectations especially on an educational level. The Grace School experience, Stephen’s insights, all the wonderful people we meet, my teammates along with the sights and sounds have opened my eyes, expanded my mind, and certainly touched my heart.
Helping the Grace School 4th graders prepare for exams taught me a lot about India, here’s just a sample:
- The names of the 4th grade students – Ajin, Denish, Bale, Arun, Mohan, Proba, Kierenan, Rubin, and Keeika
- The children take their exams in English
- There are 7 territories and 30 states in India
- Parsees pray at the Fire Temple
- Mother is queen of the house and should be treated with great respect
- Jute is the kind of fibers

Sadly, just 60% of these bright students are likely to go on to the university. In public schools, only about 25% of the students go on to the university. In India, children go to school 6 days a week and take week long exams twice a year even the kindergarteners. The biggest exam comes in 10th grade. If you don’t pass you will either start working, generally in some family run business or if you’re lucky you’ll attend a trade school. If you are fortunate enough to pass you go to school through 12th grade. At that point you’ll take another exam to see if you’ll be able to attend the university.
Per the class text booklet: “This is an age of competition so only those with understanding and with intelligence will be able to avail limited opportunities.”
We’ve all learned so much from Stephen.
- Roshan’s Christian name is Emmanuel.
- Ganesh is the god of good luck and resembles an elephant
- Whenever two gods are in a competition you can guarantee there will be some form of cheating
- How to eat chapatti using only your right hand
- Native Indians (and faux natives with their shirts buttoned to the top) receive large discount entrance to tourist sites
- The reasons you don’t wear shoes inside a Hindu Temple:
*your shoes are dirty and the temple is pure
*shoes are often made of leather and cows are sacred
*the bumpy stone floor is like acupressure for the feet, relaxing
you before you enter the inner temple for worship
- is even more revered than Gandhi because he fought against the caste system
- Money (spelled Mani) is the name of a little boy, not a plea for cash
- The joy of a children’s Christmas pageant
- Restaurants cannot compare with Rani’s cooking
- The personal ads can tell you a lot about what’s valued in a culture
- How to do laundry without a machine
- Barnabus has 3 children and an amazing smile
- Little Stephen plays popular India music in the van if you ask
- Anklets are to be worn one on each foot otherwise people will tell you, you lost one
- No matter how hard you look, how many lovely ladies you see, how many textile stores you visit – you’ll never find two sarees that look alike
- A large truck carrying “only kerosene” is also labeled “highly flammable”
- A knee length skirt is entirely too short
- There’s a special thrill to an auto rickshaw ride
- White lines on the road are a mere suggestion of where to drive as one can easily fit a bicycle, 2 motor cycles, an auto-rickshaw, a bus in your typical 3 lane road. Thus enabling anyone to read the fuel gauge in the vehicle next to you
- The smart cows lay along the center of the road because the fast moving traffic keeps the flies away
- A family of five can easily fit on a motorcycle if tow of the children are relatively young
- Sista or Brother is a polite way to address anyone, not just siblings
- Hello – vanakaum
- Thank you – Nandri
- Nose – Mookoo
- Goodbye – poy tu wa
- See you tomorrow – Nalikipakalam

Finally, we learned a little bit about our teammates:

Miriam – adopted 2 Indian girls long before Angelina and nursed them back to health.
Enid – learned a modified version of “Row, row, row your boat that ends with a huge smile, arms waving overhead – Marly, Marly, Marly….Life is but a dream.”
Joelle – has such a love for India she is here for the 3rd time, 2nd time with Global Volunteers.
Nicky – an amazing woman, not only wrote a book about her native Haiti but each morning I find myself anxiously awaiting what beautiful color combination she’ll be wearing.
Molly – her lovely spirit is sure to leave an impression on the people she’s met – whether its supporting the small businesses, the photo’s she’s in, or children who can now dance the hustle.
Harshal – whenever he decides he wants to marry, the woman who answers his personal ad will be a lucky lady. While just a tiny bit gullible, he’s an intelligent and kind man with a great laugh and enough food photos to start a cookbook.
Cynthia – I can’t imagine having a better roommate. She’s shared her mosquito cream, lets me see all the amazing photos she’s taken each day, and can make up new words to familiar songs that made us all laugh.
- All wonderful people that I’m fortunate to spend Christmas with this year.

Quote for the day – Richard Bach, Hindu Metropolitan – Dec. 17th
“The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.”